Hamm

August 27, 2019

“If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm11:3). Linda and I spent the day at the Ark Encounter, a full-size replica of Noah’s Ark envisioned by Ken Hamm, noted apologist for the Christian faith and a Young Earth Creationism. Surprisingly to me, it’s been a fascinating day; not something I’ve been anxiously awaiting, but it turned out to be quite educational. Towards the end of the afternoon, Mr. Hamm himself presented a lecture on his approach to Bible interpretation and to interaction with the philosophies of the secular world.

At one point, he told the story of being invited to speak at the University of Oklahoma, then having the invitation rescinded due to pressure brought by the LGBTQIA+ cadre. Local reaction was so intense that his initial invitation was restored with the result that he ended up speaking to a much larger crowd than otherwise would have been possible. The opposition was out in full force, expecting and perhaps hoping for a stereotypical presentation and reaction. He disappointed them.

As he explained to us, his Christian ethic comes from a worldview based on the Bible. The Church in his opinion, too often tries to argue Christian ethic from a secular world view, which never works. He admits the logic of those who come from a different foundation to a different ethic, but that by starting with a Biblical foundation, he just as logically comes to a different conclusion. His concern for the Church is that as our society retreats from the Christian worldview, the Christian ethic will necessarily retreat with it, and that it is this worldview that is being taught in our schools, and often, even in our churches. It does not bode well for our children.

He put into words what I have often struggled to comprehend, and ignited in me a desire to dig deeper into Scripture and into the study of the world around me. The Bible says Creation shows forth God’s handiwork, giving testimony to his existence and power. I’m discovering that it’s no longer enough to merely proclaim Scripture; it’s necessary to establish its reliability and authority in a secular world, giving the Holy Spirit something to work with in the mind and heart of the unbeliever. I guess I retired at just the right time, so I can devote the time to this endeavor, not just to tickle my fancy, but hopefully, to help prepare a new generation to meet the challenges of the day. I am thankful tonight to have the tools and resources available for such an endeavor.